School of Business Holds Open House

September 27, 2007

Mississippi College's newly renovated School of Business building was in the spotlight at an open house attracting members of Jackson's leading area accounting firms, donors, students and alumni.

The evening event earlier this week also took on the atmosphere of a mini-recruiting fair. Dozens of MC business students got the opportunity to meet and mingle with accounting professionals, who may someday open career doors for them.

"It is always significant for us to have our major stakeholders on our campus,'' said Dr. Marcelo Eduardo, who's in his seventh year as dean of the university's School of Business. "This has been a very successful event for the School of Business for a number of years now. It allows us to bring together the business community in the form of accounting firms, our current accounting students, as well as our accounting alumni.''

During the Tuesday evening gathering, Eduardo and faculty were able to point to many of the tangible improvements that are part of the $1.2 million in renovations at 45-year-old Self Hall on College Street. Final work, including a revamped auditorium, should be completed by next summer. The enhancements will modernize eight classrooms, the foyer and all corridors. One of the notable improvements that Eduardo was able to show off to scores of visitors is the new Financial Services Lab with a ticker that streams the latest news - from Wall Street to foreign exchange markets.

An even bigger open house at the School of Business headquarters at Self Hall is set for MC's Homecoming weekend next month.

The steady stream of visitors were delighted to see the progress on the building and interact with students. Partners and recruiting managers from 18 firms attended the reception. The firms attending included Horne LLP, Cellular South, IRS, the Mississippi Auditors Office, KPMG and Tann Brown Russ& Co. PLLC to name a few.

Adriane Stephenson, a 2006 MC School of Business alum, and tax associate with Horne LLP, was among those happy to return to her alma mater, get a first-hand look the building's makeover, and do a little networking. "My time at Mississippi College was the most enjoyable and important time of my life thus far,'' she said. "I now support the business school so that current students will have the same opportunities I had.''

A 1970 MC business graduate who's a managing partner with Collins&Corbin CPAs, Wallace Collins is just as bullish about his alma mater as he reconnected with members of the university's family. "I support Mississippi College because it is a wonderful Christian university,'' he said. "It's a great place to receive a quality education and also develop the foundation for a successful life.''

Eduardo also took time at the event to recognize the sponsors of the new $75,000 Accounting Classroom for their support of the School of Business. The firms and individuals saluted include: Horne LLP, Haddox Reid Burkes& Calhoun, Eubank & Betts, Wallace and Margaret Collins, Harper Rains Knight& Co., KPMG and Huffman & Co. CPA, PA.

The next open house at Self Hall for alums and other visitors is scheduled for Friday Oct. 19 from 4:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. This fall's final open house for the School of Business is Saturday Oct. 20 and runs from 1-2 p.m.. It's the same day the undefeated MC Choctaws face American Southwest Conference rival Mary Hardin-Baylor in a home football game. MC's growing School of Business, with its nearly 1,000 students, and new MBA with a finance concentration this fall, is at the top of its game, too.